DSM Track Day/Racing/Dyno Reports

As usual, I was plagued with mechanical issues at the event. On Saturday I only got one timed lap before I had to retire.

Just before this event, I had added that new valve cover with the big vents. One of those vents was routed to my exhaust using a Moroso crankcase evacuation system. Just before this event, I had installed a new valve cover with the big -10AN vents. One of those vents...

Third outing and second lapping day of 2011 for me.

A few minor changes for this event.

• I cut out part my passenger side fender liner and installed aluminum mesh to promote better air flow through my transmission cooler.

  
  

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My second outing in the Talon for 2011... and it was August!

After fixing my cracked exhaust manifold and melted oil dip stick, I was ready for action.

The venue for this event was in a rather small & tight parking lot in Truro. That meant a small & tight course, which does not favor my car. It's also somewhat bumpy with lots of big dips. So I wasn't...

I've been slacking on my event reports, so I'll try to catch up.

This event was my first outing in the Talon this season. I had spent the whole preceding Saturday working on the car, trying to finish some stuff up, which spilled over to Sunday morning (details posted here). So I didn't make it to the track until the afternoon sessions.

I arrived, swapped on my brand new...

Final event of the 2010 season. Following the dismal results of the previous event, I wasn't expecting much. My traction issues would still be prevalent due to tire age and ambient temperatures, but it would still be a fun course as it was setup on a 2.5km (1.6 mile) 11 turn road circuit.

This time temperatures were even colder... Like 9°C (48°F) cold and windy to boot. I had on...

Magic Mountain doesn't like me this year. When I attend an event there earlier this season, it was cold / wet with zero grip and I sucked; placing midfield overall. This latest event didn't go much better.

The weather was dry but the temperatures were low at 14ºC (57ºF). As I had found out at the previous SoloSprint event, my race tires no longer offer any grip due to their age &...

Last SoloSprint (a.k.a Time Attack) of the season. Last chance to beat my personal best.

If you recall my last report, I stripped 3rd gear while lapping at this very track about 6 weeks prior. Since then I've purchased a brand new TRE Stage 4 with all the options, as well as a rear LSD with EVO8 (clutch-type) internals and DSS 650HP rear axles. Also during the downtime I finally got...

Coming off three days of autox on PEI, I mustered up enough energy to attend the lapping day at Atlantic Motorsport Park, NS making it four days of racing in a row. Yippee!

Got to the track early and there was already a good size crowd there. Found a spot in the paddock and proceeded to swap out my brake pads. This year I've been running Carbotech AX6 on the street & autox, and...

Slalom @ Slemon. The premier event of the season in these parts.

This was a 3-day event with Friday being a Test & Tune, Saturday event #1 and Sunday event #2. Plus Monday was a lapping day at the local road course, but I'll write about that separately. All-in-all, it was four straight days of motorsports. Yay!
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The first SoloSprint of the year!

For those that may not know, a SoloSprint (a.k.a Time Trial / Time Attack) is essentially the same thing as qualifying for a road race. You have a fixed amount of time (or laps in this case) under the clock to achieve your fastest lap time possible. But instead of determining your grid position for a race, your best lap time determines whether you've...

A full weekend of cone dodging in the sun... what more could you as for?

This a a double regional event, where competitors from the whole Atlantic region compete for points towards the regional championships. So you'd expect good representation from the four Atlantic provinces, but in reality all the competitors were from Nova Scotia and, more specifically, the Halifax host club. So...

Why can't a guy catch a break? This has got to be my worst season start in the 10 years I've been racing...

The venue this time is a municipal airport with a 3950' x 75' runway. This usually equates to a very long / fast / open course which means big FUN! Enough fun to draw a decent crowd from the host club based 2.5 hours away. However, rain was in the forecast and some big players...

My wife thinks I’m crazy.

A couple weeks before this event I got T-boned in the Talon. Driver’s door is mangled, window is broken, and the rear quarter is pushed in. $3400 in damage, parts are on order. At least I’m not paying.

The car is still drivable. No wheel / suspension / frame damage. But the door will no longer open from the outside and it has no window. Just...

The 2010 season has begun! Yay!

Every year I tell myself that I'll start working on the car early and have it ready a good month or so before the first event. Well, the Talon never came off its jack stands until the evening before the first event of the year... As usual.

I got most my planned...

Ah, the last event of the season. And it was a doozie. An autoslalom on a road race circuit! With so much tarmac and a limited number of cones, it can only mean one thing… a FAST course.

This was a regional event which means the top competitors of the Atlantic Region were in attendance. Competition was tough and the weather conditions made it even tougher. It was dry, but quite...